ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s cricket team has made the decision to reintroduce opening batter Imam-ul-Haq for their upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies, which is set to commence in Multan next week.
Imam last donned the Test jersey during a match against Australia in December 2023. Subsequently, he was not chosen for the home series against Bangladesh and England and was also excluded from the selection roster for two Tests in South Africa.
As it stands, both Pakistan and the West Indies find themselves struggling at the lower end of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Pakistan is eager to conclude this subpar WTC campaign on a positive note, having faced defeats in eight out of their last ten Test matches since Shan Masood was appointed as the captain of the red-ball format.
Meanwhile, the West Indies have yet to secure a Test series victory during this WTC cycle, suffering losses against India, South Africa, and England, while managing to draw their series 1-1 against both Australia and Bangladesh.
The WTC journey for Pakistan began on a promising note with a 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka in 2023, but this was before Babar Azam stepped down from his role as captain in all formats. Under the captaincy of Masood, the team faced a clean sweep against Australia, and followed up with similar defeats—2-0 against Bangladesh and 2-0 against South Africa.
In the midst of these defeats, Pakistan achieved a notable 2-1 series win against England at home, utilizing tailored pitches in Multan and Rawalpindi that benefited their spinners. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were instrumental during that victory, collecting a combined total of 39 wickets against England. The squad also includes mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, who adds further depth to the bowling lineup.
The batting order remains largely unchanged from the squad that faced South Africa, retaining key players such as Masood, Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Muhammad Rizwan, and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha within the 15-member unit.
In contrast, the bowling roster has seen significant alterations, as the pace quartet of Aamer Jamal, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza, and Naseem Shah have been rested. However, Khurram Shahzad has been kept in the squad, while Mohammad Ali, who last appeared against Bangladesh, along with uncapped Kashif Ali, have also been included.
Due to Saim Ayub’s recent injury—a fractured right ankle sustained during the second Test against South Africa—selectors have called upon Mohammad Huraira to join Imam at the top of the batting order.
Additionally, Rohail Nazir, a former captain of the Pakistan Under-19 team, has been designated as the backup wicketkeeper.
Both Tests will be hosted in Multan, with the first Test scheduled to begin on January 17 and the second Test set for January 25.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has opted to hold both matches in Multan, owing to ongoing enhancements at the stadiums in Karachi and Lahore in preparation for the forthcoming Champions Trophy next month.
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**Squad**: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir, Sajid Khan, and Salman Ali Agha.
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